Through its Sprint Local Giving Program, the Sprint Foundation dials into literacy and reading encouragement programs for youth—so long as those youth live in the Atlanta, Dallas/Forth Worth, Denver, or New York City areas (all fairly generously defined; see below).

Because this is Sprint, its support of youth literacy and reading has a technology angle. In fact, the Sprint Local Giving Program is actually about technology access and STEM education, and Sprint gives grants to community-based programs (not schools) that use these technology and STEM opportunities to further its work in one of three youth-centric areas: Youth Development, the Environment, and Arts and Culture.

So you've noticed that literacy isn't explicitly on this list? You're right, but Sprint's recent giving history shows that it views youth literacy as a key component of youth development, so consider this an exciting opportunity to enhance your youth literacy program with an engaging curriculum and technological devices. Also consider this an exciting opportunity to partake in some healthy competition, because the Sprint Local Giving Program only gives out three grants per year in each of these city-regions, a first place ($25,000), second place ($15,000) and third place ($10,000) prize.

Recent winners working in youth literacy include:

Hands On Atlanta: $25,000 for its Saturday programming that includes reading tutoring;

New York City Metro includes the New York counties of Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester Counties, as well as the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties.

The Sprint Local Giving Program an open, online application process. Proposals are due mid-June and decisions are made by the end of the calendar year.